Researchers have discovered hypothyroidism is much more common in patients with worsening kidney function as well as patients suffering from proteinuria. Kidneys filter the blood of wastes and toxins, allowing them to be expelled through urine. Chronic kidney issues affect 10% to 13% of the adult population. Those with the condition are at a higher risk of cardiovascular complications and premature death.

Researchers explained hypothyroidism had already been defined as a comorbidity of chronic kidney issues and is usually accompanied by metabolic syndrome. They said the occurrence of the condition is between 3% to 25%. There are other comorbidities associated with impaired kidney function, according to researchers. They said these include hypertension, anemia, cardiovascular disease and congestive heart failure.

The researchers selected 301 adults with kidney problems who also had three eGFR readings of less than or equal to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. If the Urine albumin creatinine ratio at baseline was greater than the 75th percentile, it was considered significant. Researchers found patients were more likely to develop hypothyroidism with worse eGFR grades. Additionally, they found patients in the 75th percentile for urine albumin-creatinine ratio, with a TSH greater than 1.8 uIU/L had an odds ratio of 1.8. Researchers said the odds ratio for those with TSH level greater than 5uIU/L was 1.052.

Researchers said they had two purposes for this study. The first was to determine how prevalent hypertension was in kidney patients overall and across the spectrum. Second, they wanted to look at the connection between hypothyroidism and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (through which they determined proteinuria) and slope of eGFR. For more info on kidney studies, check Healthy Kidney Inc. out on YouTube.